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    Default D.C. United Faces Furious Fans After Supporter Is Slapped With One-Year Ban

    http://dcist.com/2016/04/dc_united_f...ny_as_supp.php

    By Charles Boehm and Pablo Maurer

    The early-spring gloom around D.C. United deepened on Monday, as the winless club banned a leading member of the District Ultras supporters group from attending matches for one year. The punishment, for using a smoke bomb outside RFK Stadium before United's 3-0 loss to FC Dallas on March 26, has many supporters furious at what they say is uneven enforcement and unclear rules.

    According to documents obtained by DCist, United fan Matthew Parsons has been officially banned from home games for one calendar year for a “violation of D.C. United and Major League Soccer Fan Code of Conduct (possession and ignition of illegal smoke device on RFK Stadium property).”

    The sanction also extends to “all MLS venues and events” for the remainder of the 2016 Major League Soccer season, while the entire District Ultras section “will not be permitted to have flags, flag poles, and drums” at this Saturday's game vs. the Vancouver Whitecaps at RFK—though a team official clarified to DCist yesterday that the Ultras will still be permitted to use drums at the match.

    Last month's incident is being categorized as a “first offense” and will be taken into account if future “misconduct” leads to “escalating sanctions” for those involved.

    The news has sparked fury among the team's devoted but dwindling corps of hard-core supporters, who have endured a winless start to the current season, deep cuts to the club's budget, and some of the highest ticket prices (at the oldest venue, no less) in the league. Fueling the fire: a perception of double standards and inconsistent enforcement, with fans quickly taking to social media to note an ongoing informal postgame fireworks tradition by the Barra Brava supporters group.

    “They keep making up rules,” Parsons told DCist via email. “I have never seen anywhere that smoke is not allowed outside the stadium.”

    Perhaps most frustrating of all, the alleged infraction of stadium policy took place in the midst of a “gathering of the tribes/unity march” intended to patch up long-simmering rifts between United's supporters groups and rally the wider fan base at a time of transition for their club.

    “It was proposed that all four [supporters groups] would march into the stadium together as a show of strength, unity, and general noise to pump up the crowd,” District Ultras member Matthew Eide told DCist on Monday. “After tailgating separately, the four groups gathered under the bridge [at Independence Avenue SE] at Lot 8, sang songs, beat drums, danced—you know—celebrated their club.

    “Then we all marched in, drums blazing, scarves up, singing etc and after partying in the [RFK] concourses (where there was NO smoke) we moved to our respective sections for the match. To my knowledge, none of the other [supporters groups] have been sanctioned. DU members are rightly pissed, and frankly sick of being scapegoated by [United],” Eide said.

    Known for their elaborate prematch “tifo” banner displays, the District Ultras sit near RFK's northeast corner, a few sections over from the Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles groups on the stadium's “loud side.”

    Speaking on background, a United source said that the severity of the punishments were shaped in part by Parsons' prominence among the District Ultras, noting that he and other leaders were briefed on the club's expectations for its supporters groups before the season began. A copy of United's code of conduct for supporters, obtained by DCist, does indeed ban the use of smoke by supporters, though the policy does not indicate whether it applies to the stadium itself or the surrounding grounds. Though fireworks that explode are considered illegal in the
    District of Columbia, smoke bombs are not specifically mentioned as a prohibited item in D.C.'s fireworks ban (potassium cholrate, which is present in some, bot not all smoke bombs, is prohibited.)

    The United source also added that some patrons complained about the smoke, some stating that they felt ill.

    "It's annoying because they're trying to single out guy who drives three hours to games and [helps] to make tifo on off weeks," added Srdan Bastic, another senior member of the Ultras. "He has more away games at his own expense than [all of] DCU's staff since 1996, combined. This is why groups have such insane turnover—It's like people get paid to f**k with us while we pay to get f***ed with."

    The incident fits into a recurring pattern across MLS, which celebrates and advertises the unique passion of its most dedicated fans yet also draws their ire when club and stadium security officialsreact negatively to the noise and spectacle they tend to create.

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    Just another example of how cunty MLS is. Love having a local club to watch, hate this fucking league tho.

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    Seen a photo of Rachel holding a smoke bomb in Orlando...no one year ban?

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    I think it sends the message - lets focus on the football. Cut out the shenanigans that will give the sport a bad name.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BelfastBoy View Post
    I think it sends the message - lets focus on the football. Cut out the shenanigans that will give the sport a bad name.
    Today's MLS was built on the backs of passionate supporter groups from coast to coast. Don't make it out to be something that it's not. MLS definately wouldn't be where it is based on the level of football played.

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    To be fair, I'm not sure I would be happy if I was travelling in the GO transit underpass at the Ex and somebody let off smoke and flares.


    This guy did the equivalent - in a closed corridor.

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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    To be fair, I'm not sure I would be happy if I was travelling in the GO transit underpass at the Ex and somebody let off smoke and flares.


    This guy did the equivalent - in a closed corridor.
    I agree with this too, but is it up the the league to punish people for doing things outside the stadium?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ivy View Post
    I agree with this too, but is it up the the league to punish people for doing things outside the stadium?
    The club suspended him for doing something on their property. The core of the issue, from what i can tell, has to do with whether or not the club made the supporters aware of the fact that it was illegal prior to the incident. D.C. are saying they did make it clear, the fans are saying the didn't, or at least didn't make it clear enough.

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    Quote Originally Posted by molenshtain View Post
    The club suspended him for doing something on their property. The core of the issue, from what i can tell, has to do with whether or not the club made the supporters aware of the fact that it was illegal prior to the incident. D.C. are saying they did make it clear, the fans are saying the didn't, or at least didn't make it clear enough.
    From what I understand, it happened in a tunnel outside the stadium. If its still up to DCU to police that particular area is something that I don't know..

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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    To be fair, I'm not sure I would be happy if I was travelling in the GO transit underpass at the Ex and somebody let off smoke and flares.


    This guy did the equivalent - in a closed corridor.

    In a city like Washington with the constant worry of terror-related incidents.

    A little common sense would go a long way here amongst hard core supporters. This isn't the Beograd derby.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ivy View Post
    From what I understand, it happened in a tunnel outside the stadium. If its still up to DCU to police that particular area is something that I don't know..
    It's still part of the club's property though. RFK is a massive piece of land with a big stadium in the middle. the tunnel that they mention in that piece runs perpendicular to a bridge that circles the stadium. You start on one side of the tunnel, not on RFK property, then come out on the other side of the tunnel, which is then presumably RFK property at that point. It's semantics but if the club is saying we told you you couldn't have flares on our property then there's nothing else the supporters can say really. It's too bad that the club cares so much - I like flares personally - but if they gave them prior knowledge of the rule then they can't really be mad about getting punished.

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    Quote Originally Posted by molenshtain View Post
    It's still part of the club's property though. RFK is a massive piece of land with a big stadium in the middle. the tunnel that they mention in that piece runs perpendicular to a bridge that circles the stadium. You start on one side of the tunnel, not on RFK property, then come out on the other side of the tunnel, which is then presumably RFK property at that point. It's semantics but if the club is saying we told you you couldn't have flares on our property then there's nothing else the supporters can say really. It's too bad that the club cares so much - I like flares personally - but if they gave them prior knowledge of the rule then they can't really be mad about getting punished.
    Smoke not flares... rather large difference.

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    I'm more upset about the cringe-worthy alliteration in the articles title than I am about the ban.

    Hopefully no Toronto supporters are forced to miss a game for similar silliness this year.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pint View Post
    Smoke not flares... rather large difference.
    fair enough, My mistake.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ivy View Post
    Today's MLS was built on the backs of passionate supporter groups from coast to coast. Don't make it out to be something that it's not. MLS definately wouldn't be where it is based on the level of football played.
    Yeah. But there are leagues with much less resources than MLS. In relative terms, its still one of the better-off leagues in the world, even if it doesn't compare to the top leagues. Do flares really advance the progress of MLS?

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    D'ya think beer might have been involved?

    Dude is one of their hardest of hardcore supporters, a road warrior. Give him a warning and one-match suspension, you marketing morons. Jesus tap dancing Christ MLS is bad at PR.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BelfastBoy View Post
    Yeah. But there are leagues with much less resources than MLS. In relative terms, its still one of the better-off leagues in the world, even if it doesn't compare to the top leagues. Do flares really advance the progress of MLS?
    It was just red smoke, not a flare. No one was at risk except maybe of an asthma attack.

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    I think a year is perhaps excessive but 8-10 games wouldnt be. I think the MLS has to drive home the point that support will be done by the fans but dictated by the league.

    And lets be honest, among all the fans that move gate reveneue, very few care about what happens before or after a game. A show that players cant see isnt really for the team, it's for the fans. Is it fair? Maybe not but why risk this.

    A minority of people need smoke / flares and a minority will care about this. Casuals may enjoy the show, but for the casuals its always gonna be flags and chants that matter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    D'ya think beer might have been involved?

    Dude is one of their hardest of hardcore supporters, a road warrior. Give him a warning and one-match suspension, you marketing morons. Jesus tap dancing Christ MLS is bad at PR.
    Bingo.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    D'ya think beer might have been involved?

    Dude is one of their hardest of hardcore supporters, a road warrior. Give him a warning and one-match suspension, you marketing morons. Jesus tap dancing Christ MLS is bad at PR.
    Smoke in an enclosed public space.

    Maybe not a year but guy deserves longer then 1 game.

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    Their isn't even any hard evidence that the guy acted alone, a banning is ridiculous in general for something that happens on a march. To think this march was to show a symbol of unity between the DC supporters groups as they don't really see eye to eye on things, its weapons grade stupid from DC and MLS.

    Whats better for the sport in DC:
    Unity and understanding among the 4 main groups that took part in the march? or banning 1 member for something you didn't like but caused little to no damage (physical or to the brand/reputation)?

    Again we are not talking about flares where the risk of harm is much higher and we are not talking about damaging RFK property... we are talking about non toxic coloured air.

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    This to me is something supported by the MLS but really its DC's front office making up rules and enforcing them as they see fit.

    I love that indication that because he was a leader, it made punishing him more attractive. Big message there - it makes being involved that much more difficult when you hand out punishments like that, then market the hell out of it on the other side.
    Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus

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    Quote Originally Posted by Red4ever View Post
    I think a year is perhaps excessive but 8-10 games wouldnt be. I think the MLS has to drive home the point that support will be done by the fans but dictated by the league
    Support dictated by the leauge?
    So were talking Fan Clubs?
    Make noise graphics on a video board?

    Doesn't sound like support at all. Sounds like FO driven sheep to me.

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    Paramaters of support will be dictated by the league


    I should have been more clear.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BuSaPuNk View Post
    Support dictated by the leauge?
    So were talking Fan Clubs?
    Make noise graphics on a video board?

    Doesn't sound like support at all. Sounds like FO driven sheep to me.
    Dictate is not orchestrate.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Red4ever View Post
    Paramaters of support will be dictated by the league


    I should have been more clear.
    Same thing.

    Lets ban a supporter for using a smoke bomb outside a stadium, but we will send camera crews to film Rachael doing it as well and we will market the fuck out of it.

    You really think they can be trusted to dictate anything?

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    Quote Originally Posted by BuSaPuNk View Post
    Same thing.

    Lets ban a supporter for using a smoke bomb outside a stadium, but we will send camera crews to film Rachael doing it as well and we will market the fuck out of it.

    You really think they can be trusted to dictate anything?

    Clarification - that Orlando smoke was in the stadium, right?

    Look, we all know that MLS supporter bans are dependent upon which owner is screaming the loudest (looking at you Joey Saputo). And as Phil said, the deliberate and acknowledged attempt to make a statement about a supporter group leader is troubling.

    But, Bonnetta handling smoke in an outside spot does not excuse a guy doing smoke in an enclosed area.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BuSaPuNk View Post
    Same thing.

    Lets ban a supporter for using a smoke bomb outside a stadium, but we will send camera crews to film Rachael doing it as well and we will market the fuck out of it.

    You really think they can be trusted to dictate anything?
    Wouldn't you be FOR the league coming through with a Supporters Code on all premises? To have that transparency and consistency would quash this sideshow of moving the goalposts on issues.
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    Quote Originally Posted by OgtheDim View Post
    Clarification - that Orlando smoke was in the stadium, right?

    Look, we all know that MLS supporter bans are dependent upon which owner is screaming the loudest (looking at you Joey Saputo). And as Phil said, the deliberate and acknowledged attempt to make a statement about a supporter group leader is troubling.

    But, Bonnetta handling smoke in an outside spot does not excuse a guy doing smoke in an enclosed area.
    Nope outside the stadium. It was on one of those stupid videos they did.

    No it doesn't excuse it. But it shows the stupidity in the system. Really think the leauge can look at anything without a bias?

    This case is perfect. Guy suspended for doing exactly what the leauge market itself on.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fort York Redcoat View Post
    Wouldn't you be FOR the league coming through with a Supporters Code on all premises? To have that transparency and consistency would quash this sideshow of moving the goalposts on issues.
    Not really because i don't trust where the "goal posts" would be placed. Also enforcement of "rules" is and would be dependent on the mood of those involved as we already experience.

 

 

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